ITF Warns Institutions on Against Rejecting Students

Private and public organisations has been warned by the INDUSTRIAL Training Fund, ITF, Nasarawa State, against turning down students of tertiary institutions seeking to carry out Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme, SIWES, in the state and beyond.
Area Manager, ITF, Lafia area office, Zakari Baba Sabo, who gave the charge at an interactive session with stakeholders in Lafia, on Tuesday, said it was wrong for any organisation to turn down such request and stressed the need for such students to be accepted and given the necessary training for technological advancement in the overall interest of the country.
On the delay in payment of SIWES allowances to participants, Sabo clarified that most institutions had failed to live up to their obligation with the fund, pointing out that the inability of some institutions and students to present their records to the fund for compilation and payment has compounded the problem, but assured that ITF will continue to do its best in that regard.
He challenged private and public organisations contributing to the fund to ensure adequate training of their indigenous staff in line with Section 8 of the ITF Amendment Act of 2011, so as to enable them improve on the skills related to their job.
Sabo sought the prosecution of public and private organisations whose turnover per annum is up to N50 million, but fail to contribute to the fund in accordance with the ITF Amendment Act 2011.
He said all government agencies and private organisations must fulfil the statutory obligations of its employees with respect to payment of training contributions to the fund.
According to him, Section 6 of the ITF Act 2011 provides that “every employer having either five or more employees in its establishment, or having less than five employees, but with a turnover of N50 million and above per annum, shall, in respect of each calendar year and or the prescribed date, contribute to the fund one percent of its total annual payroll.”
He noted that any employer who is in breach of this provision is guilty of an offence under this Act and liable to a fine or jail on conviction.
Sabo said the fund has introduced the National Industrial Skills Development Programme NISDP, to provide technical and vocational skills required to drive the Nigerian industrial revolution plan.